September 21, 2015
See Honda's Sweeping New Stop-Motion 'Power of Dreams' Ad
Honda is fueling its long-running "Power of Dreams" campaign with a major new investment. A new two-minute ad that spans the marketer's products – from cars to boat motors – debuted yesterday during NFL games on CBS. Ad Age reports that the spot, called "Paper," weaves together roughly 3,000 hand-drawn illustrations using stop-motion filming that takes viewers through a paper-flipping, historical journey of Honda products. Click here to see it. Images include references to founder Soichiro Honda's use of a radio generator to power his wife's bike, Honda's motorcycle development, and multiple shots of cars past and present. While "Power of Dreams" spots have run on TV in the U.S. and globally off and on for many years, the newest ad represents a major new commitment to the corporate branding campaign. Two-minute ads are fairly rare – and expensive, especially during NFL programming. The ad targets North American audiences but is suitable to run globally, said Tom Peyton, assistant VP of marketing for American Honda Motor Co. Honda will support the ad digitally with an interactive version that allows viewers to click on each product to reveal its "history and significance to Honda," according to a statement. For more on Honda’s advertising plans click here.
NYC's Brian Miller Sells Superluxury Cars, Hands-On Service
Brian Miller's dealership, Manhattan Motorcars Inc. in New York, boasts a roster of exotic and superluxury brands under one rooftop, often selling vehicles with price tags topping $1 million to the rich and famous. Click here to see it. Automotive News reports that Miller, 58, is a jeans-and-sneakers guy who can also write a check for $3 million at the Geneva auto show to buy a Bugatti. As a dealer to an elite clientele, he tirelessly caters to the high-powered rich and famous. "I'm kind of a low-key guy that likes weird stuff that turns out to be expensive," said Miller. He sells Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, Lotus, Koenigsegg, Bugatti, and Porsche vehicles at his Manhattan store. He has two other Porsche stores and an Audi store outside the city. Miller's secret to success is providing hands-on four-star service to people who expect nothing less. "No one wanted these franchises back when I started doing this in the early '90s," Miller said. "They were very small franchises, and it didn't take much to run all of them." Today, Manhattan Motorcars sells about 850 new cars and 350 used cars a year, making it one of the top superluxury car dealerships in the country. For more on Miller, click here.
Volkswagen to Halt U.S. Sales of Some 2015 Diesel Cars
Volkswagen told U.S. dealers to halt sales of some 2015 diesel cars after regulators found software it designed for the affected vehicles gave false emissions data, the company said Sunday, announcing it had launched an investigation. Reuters reports that in a statement Sunday, Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said, "I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Friday the software deceived regulators measuring toxic emissions, adding that Volkswagen could face fines of up to $18 billion as a result. A VW representative on Sunday confirmed the partial halt of sales of the affected vehicles but did not give any numbers. Winterkorn added that the company was fully cooperating with the relevant agencies. "This is not your usual recall issue, an error in calibration or even a serious safety flaw," Bernstein analysts wrote in a note on Sunday. "There is no way to put an optimistic spin on this - this is really serious." Volkswagen could face civil penalties of $37,500 for each vehicle not in compliance with federal clean air rules. For the latest on Volkswagen, click here.
Hyundai's New CMO Aims for a More Dominant, Loved Brand
Hyundai made two high-profile moves this summer to bolster its U.S. marketing, inking a deal to replace General Motors as sponsor of the National Football League and hiring Subaru veteran Dean Evans as CMO. Evans spoke with Automotive News about his goals for Hyundai. When asked what attracted him to Hyundai, Evans mentions the pipeline of new products coming soon. “It's very encouraging. I'm a big fan of what's coming and how invested the executives are in moving the company forward to become more of a dominant brand in the industry,” he says, adding that to him Hyundai has always represented value and rational purchasing. “What I think Hyundai is doing today is realizing that the brand should stand for more than just rational proof points,” he says. Evans also had this to say about being an ‘import’ car brand, and conquesting: “Consumers are still in two categories: import and domestic. And what I find more than anything is that those import brands that are most Americanized now – people are getting bored of them. They may be on their second or third car from that brand, but the millennials in the family, or maybe the grandparents, are thinking that it's time to take a look at a different sort of import brand.” For the complete interview, click here.
These 10 Sleeper Cars Are Perfect Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Dream machines like Lamborghinis and Bugattis are incredible cars, but there’s a lot more to owning them than just driving and maintenance. On top of their astronomical prices and high cost of upkeep, flashy cars can attract a crowd, and create a spectacle, wherever they go. That’s what Autos Cheat Sheet says makes sleeper cars so satisfying: They offer all the performance without any of the trappings. Besides a much lower profile, sleeper cars deftly avoid the baggage that comes with owning a flashy car. Most sleepers have an everyman quality to them while just below the surface lies a car that can go toe-to-toe with the best. For many drivers, there’s an immense satisfaction in driving a car that looks slower than it really is – and then showing up someone in a flashier, more expensive car. They may not look like much, click here for 10 sleeper cars that made a name for themselves as the car you’d least suspect. The list includes such stalwarts as the 2005-2007 Mazdaspeed 6, the 2004-2005 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT, and the 2007 Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG. Click here for photos and the full story.
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Mercedes To Reach Decision On U.S. Sales Of Pickup Truck Within A Year [Jalopnik]
6 Reasons to Wait for the 2017 Jaguar F-Pace [Automobile Mag]
What's the Ultimate Minivan? [Cars.com]
Will You Even Recognize Your Car in the Near Future? [NBC]